Are you kidding?

**Tim Saxton** · Nov-21-2005, 10:57am

take a look at this auction........I dont care how much mother of toilet shell it has.....

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Rigel-Custom-Made-Mandolin-Suicide-King-Poker-Inlay_W0QQitemZ7365751408QQcategoryZ10179QQr
dZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Good Luck</a>

**bjc** · Nov-21-2005, 11:19am

Let's see STARTING at $10,000...hmmm....Christmas for the family and heat for the house, or eternal debt for a poor boy?

**John Flynn** · Nov-21-2005, 12:02pm

My guess is the original buyer was a gambler who ordered it when he hit a big jackpot, but then was down on his luck when delivery time came. My wife sells very expensive luxury goods and has worked her company's stores in Vegas. This sort of thing is common.

I think it is way over priced. They had to have gotten a deposit for it on the order, so they get to keep that money and now they want over $10K for an instrument that will not cater to that many people's tastes and therefore will always have poor re-sale value. A friend of mine ordered a full custom CT-110 with some finish preferences that would have put it in the same category, meaning hard to re-sell. He paid thousands less than that. This is a strange deal.

**arbarnhart** · Nov-21-2005, 12:18pm

I will be surprised if it gets a bid, but then wonders never cease. I am think the adornments cross the line to being somewhat gawdy/tacky. What would it go for without the customizations? I would expect it to be sold for considerably less.

**mandocaster** · Nov-21-2005, 1:27pm

Call me a nut, but I wouldn't want a mandolin with "suicide" on it. The reality is too awful to joke about.

**glauber** · Nov-21-2005, 1:31pm

Yep. But "suicide king" is that playing card where the "K" (king) seems to have a sword going through his head, due to the stylized and 2-dimensional way the cards are traditionally drawn. On this particular mandolin, i think the seller is very optimistic to hope for 10K, but i bet it cost about that much, perhaps a tad less, to make. Bad investment, IMHO.

**Pedal Steel Mike** · Nov-21-2005, 1:58pm

Originally Posted by (mandocaster @ Nov. 21 2005, 11:27)

Call me a nut, but I wouldn't want a mandolin with "suicide" on it. The reality is too awful to joke about.

I feel the same way. There were photos of this mandolin on Rigel's web site for a while, (in the "this week ar Rigel" section) and as much as I love Rigel mandolins, this one gave me the creeps when I saw it.

**Jim Hilburn** · Nov-21-2005, 2:20pm

What happened to the concept that Rigels were a less expensive option to a regular mandolin because of the bolt-on neck and not having to bend a rim or bind it?

**arbarnhart** · Nov-21-2005, 2:26pm

Originally Posted by (Jim Hilburn @ Nov. 21 2005, 15:20)

What happened to the concept that Rigels were a less expensive option to a regular mandolin because of the bolt-on neck and not having to bend a rim or bind it?

I guess Gold Tone happened to that idea...

I have only seen one "mini review" of Gold Tone's licensed knock off and it was mostly positive. I think Rigel just wisely pushed the envelope based on supply and demand.

**JEStanek** · Nov-21-2005, 3:04pm

I would be a Suicide King if I bid on that. My wife would kill me! Yo, MandoHack... You know anything about this one?

Jamie

**Dfyngravity** · Nov-21-2005, 3:10pm

I have seen this one before. I saw it on Rigels website under "this week at rigel". Interesting mandolin

**mandopete** · Nov-21-2005, 3:25pm

I'm waiting for the imited edition One-Eyed Jack from Gibson.

Big Joe?

**bjc** · Nov-21-2005, 3:51pm

I'm looking for the "Ace Of Spades" Motorhead Tribute Mandolin.

**jefflester** · Nov-21-2005, 3:54pm

The "A" inlay at the 1st fret is a little weird, but I like the way the royal flush works out to position the "10" at the 10th fret.

**fredfrank** · Nov-21-2005, 6:42pm

How does one become the 'Suicide King'? Seems like you'd only get one shot at it!

**mad dawg** · Nov-21-2005, 6:51pm

When did Antonio Tsai start working for Rigel?

**Tim Saxton** · Nov-21-2005, 7:07pm

I dont care if it is the "J. H. Christ" edition Rigel........thare ain't any of 'em worth that much money! (Rigels that is)

**steve V. johnson** · Nov-21-2005, 7:28pm

I wondered when y'all would start in on this one. It inspires me to new heights of disrespectful rhetoric and colorful insults.

And the price... the boldest joke of all.

Foo. or... fuggedaboudit.

But I guess it's all in good fun, eh? <GGG>

stv

**harmonist34** · Nov-21-2005, 11:03pm

I'm not sure if this mando's worth the price. If only I could know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run....

Andy

**Pedal Steel Mike** · Nov-22-2005, 4:28am

Don't knock Rigels. They really are wonderful instruments.

When my Gibson broke, my insurance company have me $2,000 for a replacement, and I had my choice of anything on the market. I spent a substantial amount of time looking at different brandfs, including Weber, Breedlove, Collings, Gibson, Eastman, Godin, Michael Kelley, National, and a bunch of others whose names I can't remember. I saw a lot of mandolins that i liked, and that would have satisfied me, but I really Preferred the Rigels I saw over any of the others.

I had no axe to grind, I simply wanted the best mandolin I could get.

**mandolooter** · Nov-22-2005, 8:01am

well with that opening price they sure took the fun outta bidding huh...anybody got 11G's laying around is in top shape cuz i don't see it getting more than a bid or 2 at most... if any!

ooohh, and it's fugly as can be...

**J. Mark Lane** · Nov-22-2005, 8:58am

I agree that Rigel's are great mandolins, and I actually like this one -- except for the pickguard. I would just take the pickguard off (useless anyway). Other than that, I think it's quite beautiful, and I'm sure it sounds great.

The price, however, is a bit much....